Anthropic loses bid to temporarily block Pentagon blacklisting

Verdict: The New York Post accurately reports the Ninth Circuit's denial of Anthropic's stay request but erodes trust through factual errors, unverified partisan claims, and inflammatory framing that sensationalizes the story.

Key Findings

• Wrong court identification: The article states a "federal appeals court in Washington, DC" issued the ruling on Wednesday.

"A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, on Wednesday rejected Anthropic’s request..."

Evidence: The case is in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (headquartered in San Francisco, covering California), stemming from the Northern District of California. No DC Circuit involvement per court filings and coverage from InsideDefense (April 2) and Wired/Axios.

• Unverified leaked CEO memo: Claims Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei sent a "leaked missive bashing the Trump administration," accusing retaliation for lacking "dictator-style praise to Trump" and not donating (unlike OpenAI), plus an apology for its "tone."

Evidence: Searches for "Dario Amodei leaked memo Trump" or similar yield no results; no confirmation from The Information (cited but unlinked) or elsewhere.

• Unsubstantiated partisan smears: Alleges Trump "blasted Anthropic staff as 'leftwing nut jobs'" and Amodei "donated to Democratic former Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed presidential campaign."

Evidence: No records of the Trump quote or donations in FEC data or news searches.

• Inflated contract details: Describes a "$200 million contract" with the Department of Defense (called "Department of War" repeatedly) in July, positioning Anthropic as "sole provider of AI models on the government’s classified networks."

Evidence: No confirmation of a $200M July deal; reports show February 2026 tensions over safeguards, followed by an OpenAI deal.

• Loaded language and source reliance: Uses terms like "slapped" for the risk designation "previously reserved for foreign businesses... like Chinese firm Huawei," and "fiery 1,600-word missive." Quotes a pro-government X post from Acting AG Todd Blanche without linking.

Evidence: The designation under 10 USC 3252 applies to any supply-chain risk, not just foreign entities (per NIST/CISA); no Blanche post found.

The article gets the core event right: the appeals court's April 9, 2026, denial, prioritizing government interests during "active military conflict."

What Was Missing (Verifiable Facts)

• Narrow scope of blacklisting: The designation bars Claude only for DoD direct contracts, not all government agencies or non-DOD contractor uses.

Why it matters: Shows limited impact on Anthropic, not a total ban. (Anthropic blog, March 5, 2026; Wired, March 9.)

• Origin of dispute: Anthropic refused DoD requests to remove pre-existing safeguards against domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons use.

Why it matters: Explains the conflict as rooted in contractual AI safety terms, not abrupt retaliation. (Anthropic statements; NPR, Feb. 27, 2026.)

Source Context

Author Taylor Herzlich covers business for the New York Post, a News Corp tabloid known for sensationalism (e.g., Hunter Biden laptop coverage). It prioritizes high-engagement stories, with a history of unverified claims and controversies documented on Wikipedia.

Coverage Differences

Other outlets stick to verified facts:

• NYT focuses on procedural loss, neutral on merits.
• Axios calls the label "rare," highlights First Amendment claims.
• InsideDefense emphasizes DoD's appeal and statutory authority.
• Reuters names Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as designator.

None include the memo, quotes, or donations.

Bottom line: The Post delivers the ruling promptly but prioritizes clickbait over verification, risking misinformation on a niche tech-defense story. Stronger on timeliness than accuracy—readers should cross-check court docs.

Further Reading

• New York Times: Anthropic Pentagon Risk Circuit Court
• Axios: Anthropic Sues Pentagon Supply-Chain Risk Label
• InsideDefense: Pentagon Appealing Order to Remove Anthropic Label
• Reuters: Anthropic Seeks Court Stay on Pentagon Risk Designation

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